Scozmo's Photery

October – Week 3

Chilly out!!! Winter draws on as some say 😉

It’s been getting progressively colder all week and a week of very mixed weather, we had storm somebody or other, blew a hoollie ALL night then the next day was post-storm windy day, certainly clearing leaves off the Autumnal trees. It’s also been a great week for sunrise and set, not every day but a good few and of course …. a Lemmon!

I don’t remember the stormy days but, judging by the gaps in the photos, I can probably guess 🙂

On the 20th I have only one shot …

I named it “trying to catch Redpoll” they’re flighty wee beggars, lots of them around in flocks but do they sit still????? So it’s not even a great image just all I have, for now.

On the 21st I headed out on my usual green lane loop but decided to skip the lane and walked the field instead, I grabbed a snapshot of three Jays at a distance but it really wasn’t worth keeping, they’re my nemesis on the patch, very shy, very elusive but as we go into Winter, probably more chances of getting nice shots. I also had yet another Red Kite encounter.

It was yet another bland sky day so, I’ve done something I’m not keen on but ….

I added a fake sky!!!! That aside, I stood and watched this bird for quite some time as it cruised over the reed beds, they way it changes its wing shape, uses its tail as a rudder, really fabulous fliers and beautiful birds, so glad we have them here again.

No butterflies in the corner of the Radish field, too cold now? As I approached the wild-cam spot I saw a group of birds on the Gorse above the cam site.

Two young Stonechat and three Reed Buntings, the buntings move out of the reed beds more as Winter comes in and I can get some great shots on the lane…. we’ll see 🙂

These two Reed Buntings sat for long enough for me to get them together, a male top and female below.

I can stand down by the wildlife camera and I’m at eye level with the reeds so I can scan along the tops, see what’s popping up to be seen 🙂

Stonechats are great for this, perching high on reeds or weeds, I actually took this shot because I thought it might be a Whinchat …. added it to iNaturalist, see what comes back but, I think it’s just a youngster.

I went absolutely wild on this day, I crossed the reed beds!!!!! Aren’t I wild? It’s a bit boggy but otherwise fine, there’s a burn runs across but it’s full at the moment so easy to hear, therefor cross safely. On the other side I could walk the field following a hedge line, see what was there.

We are also very lucky to have Yellowhammers in plenty up here, gorgeous wee birds. And so, back onto the and heading for the feeding posts.

The lane up to the posts and “the portal” looks beautiful in its Autumnal colours and there’s been a plethora of fungi along each side.

I stopped off at the old Oak, on the left in that shot, dropped off food and watched the usual collection of Tits drop down, joined by the Nuthatches, it was so dull there, the shots I got weren’t great but a wee Blue Tit did pose for me a while.

Gorgeous wee birds.

And that was it for the 21st, back towards home before the rain really started.

I loved that clump of fungi, about the size of a dinner plate! 🙂

Oddly enough, all I got the following day, 22nd was fungus! They can be so photogenic, I really ought to take more time and use my macro lens but, I don’t!

Not sure yet on the first one but the latter is apparently Yellow Brain! 🙂

23rd, back to my standard route, I like to head over and check the wild cam, especially if a few days have passed, too much to manage / edit otherwise, I’ll share some clips from it soon.

The walk along the green lane and/or the adjoining field has great views, the potential for lots of wildlife and is just so quiet and peaceful.

The majority of the Radish flower is white but there are all shades through to this.

I watched and was watched by a Buzzard sitting atop a young Horse chestnut tree for the majority of the outward walk across the field, before it took off into the woods. I also remember I tried to do a more direct and faster walk down to the bottom of the lane, in search of the leucistic Chaffinch this day, 23rd.

I can spend a good couple of hours down there just watching, listening and waiting for a chance.

I did think I’d spotted a Firecrest in among a tangle of branches but no, just a Goldcrest, difficult wee beggars to get a decent shot of! There was plenty activity down there, Merlin heard Crossbills, even more of an attraction to this spot for me but today, not a lot to photograph so, back up the lane.

Back up at the old Oak feeding post, I’d had a really good, quick walk up the hill …. phew!

I’ve practically stopped trying for shots up there when there’s no sunshine, it’s just too dark even with the ISO cranked up to get the speed, the shots can be way too grainy.

25th saw my next outing, I grabbed a pile of shots of a passing raptor as I approached the cam site but they’re way too bad to edit, pretty certain it was a female Kestrel though.

I was standing by the Gorse / Broom clump at the cam site getting connected when movement caught my eye right in front of me.

A Wren had a good flit around right in front of me, as you may notice, the light was pretty rubbish but you don’t often get many chances with these busy wee beasties!

I sorted out the camera, downloading anything on it for checking later, it’s mostly Pheasant, Field Mice and Roe deer but, you never know, right!?

Back to the lane, stopping to photograph the Kite, almost going on my butt as it flew overhead 🙂

Down the lane at a good pace, down to the Chaffinch site ……….. and wait! And wait. That said, there are now probably a few hundred Redwings and Fieldfare down there, gorging on the berries in the two trees in their garden.

And then ………… Bingo!

AND, a blue sky for background! Gorgeous bird isn’t it?

It sat there for around three minutes, ages in photo time 🙂 Allowing me to move a little closer to clear all those branches. Big smiles 🙂

I got a few nice shots of some others while the sun was shining.

That was me, off back home but, I took the long route via the ponds, been ages.

The Sunflowers in the wildflower patch were fading but I think they’re beautiful flowers at all stages.

There were a few more fungi just inside the woodland as I walked up that hill.

Round the woodland and out onto the open fields where the rest of the ponds lie.

The yellow daisies were all beaten down by the recent wind and rains but the Cornflowers were just starting to stand up again.

It felt really good walking in sunshine, sheltered from the stiff breeze, I stopped a couple of times just to soak up the heat and vitamins 🙂

I’m going to end this here with a few wide shots and create a Part 2, sorry, just feels like there’s too much to this one?

I took some phone shots of the walk that day, some just to let you see some of the locations I talk about.

A 180 degree pano to show the approach to the ponds and the exit to the left, the main lane runs down at the top of that tree line.

So that was me, up to the 25th, yesterday, watch out for part 2 🙂

Happy Sunday all

October 2025

patch photos